Road Blocks
by ShadowSpirits
Summary: Slash. YnM/KJ. One-sided/future YnB/YnY. POST Battle City/blimp. They took him away... Couldn't they see? Didn't they realize that he was still wanted by someone? Of course not, they were so blind. But he had to get him back. He just had to.
1. Chapter 1

Ahhh... back to fighting with FFN formatting again. Sure don't miss that. For the record, this story is actually complete. It's eleven chapters total, with thoughts of a sequel. Established relationship between Yami no Malik and Katsuya Jounouchi. With sort of a one-sided darkshipping of Yami no Bakura and Yami no Yuugi towards the later chapters. "It's complicated." Haha. There are some parts of this story overall that I just _hate_. But even rewrites couldn't save (one dumb scene, sigh) it.

I'll probably load up a few chapters tonight, then let it simmer for a few days. I do need to revise them before I load 'em up, so be patient.

I do hate figuring out categories. There is some angst, as well as some romance. The rating aims towards language and later violence. I think that's about it.

...still can't believe I'm loading something to this site after years. The hell is wrong with me? Certainly need to glower some at the formatting. FFN hates whitespace, I guess. _Sigh_.

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**Road Blocks**  
Chapter One

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Lights along the dank road flickered on and off, drawing in insects each time the glow covered its small distance. Few cars grazed the tar, turning up small wisps of water from puddles of late rainfall. The road was mostly unpopulated, only a house or two scattered on either side of it; however, various construction signs lay in waiting in the thick grass coating the ground. They beckoned for someone to buy their land just so building could start. One of the houses took up a good deal of room, a barn along with it, a fenced off area within the thick grass fields; a farm of some sort.

He remembered his mother taking him out there before with his sister and father before things became rougher. He remembered there being more houses too, a bigger population. But now, he realized as he walked down the road, most of the population had moved into the city and away from this place. It was a place of solitude; he still saw it that way.

The grass may have been unkempt, probably not even the best place for him to wade through, but he couldn't help but have a peak of curiosity. He was searching for a memory. He was searching for something to bring back to the city that would maybe, just maybe make the others understand him.

He wanted them to see what he saw.

He wanted them to look back and realize what they took from him.

It wasn't something he chose to think about much. Well, ever, actually. He just remembered bits and pieces of this place, and hoped that maybe it could even end up helping him. Really hoped. He stumbled over a small circle, engraved in the ground made out of some kind of dark tinted metal, oily looking; more metal branched out away from it, like a spider web, thankfully lacking an actual spider. His sister ran through the center of it one day and screamed and he couldn't get to her, but when she finally came out she said she saw magnificent (using the word "pretty" at the time) things. He tried himself and he saw a few glowing lights, speckling the sky and painting it differently all around him. It was a weird feeling…he never really understood it, at that age anyway.

"Jounouchi-kun! What are you looking for? Maybe I can help!"

He turned his head back towards the road, blond streaks moving in front of his eyes from the motion. He blinked, coming out of his trance just enough to focus on the car on the side. His ride. He did have his license…just…well, it was a long story.

"Anzu, you wouldn't know where to look," he called back, "or understand, for that matter," he whispered lowly to himself, glaring at the ground. So she waited for him as he continued through the grass. She may actually know what he was looking for – understand what it was more than him, anyway. She watched from a distance as the pharaoh himself experienced that same kind of thing…

Anzu sighed and shook her head, keeping back by her car and suddenly snapping her gaze up as Jounouchi disappeared into the grass. "Jounouchi-kun?" when she heard no response, she straightened and ran into the depths 

of the grass, pushing through to find her fallen friend.

"It's still here! I found it!"

"Jounouchi?"

She blinked and took a step back after finally coming upon him. It's not every day he could be found kissing the ground joyfully. He stood up, a smile crossing his face and he nearly gave Anzu a hug – he was so excited. "I don't understand…"

"You should. You've seen this sort of thing before, I think," he started stomping down the grass, but was careful not to step in the center circle. She only shook her head at him. "It's one of those ways to get in touch with spirits that you lost… sort of thing."

"But Jounouchi…we got Mai back…she's even, well, _Mai_ again…"

He shook his head, "What makes you think this is about Mai?"

"What else would this be about?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

Jounouchi smirked, "You would probably hit me." He took a step back into the circle and turned away from Anzu, taking a deep breath and calling out. "I know you're here. And I know you realize I'm searching for your soul… not some of these other twisted freak shows. Get it? Come on out."

Slowly the air around him was closing up; breathing normally was becoming harder. A light flickered alive, almost like a large, white firefly. More followed it, surrounding him. He could hear low moans of other souls that were trying to reach out for him, pull him down with him or beg to be freed, but an energy was holding them back. He could feel it. He could feel his presence here – no matter how faint.

"Katsuya."

Jounouchi smiled at the voice, watching as a form began to faintly grow off of the firefly-lights. But he didn't get to see much for long, not before a hand reached for the back of his jacket and he was forced out of the circle. He flailed his arms around, but that didn't stop him from being dragged away.

"Anzu! Anzu _stop_! No, _no_! What are you doing?!" he broke free and started back for the circle where he could still make out the trapped lights. Anzu snagged a fist into his jacket again.

"Are you insane?! It's not safe there! There's bad spirits! You could probably get killed or something! Did you realize just what you were facing?! You should know better! You should –"

" – Well maybe I _wanted_ to see that! You don't understand, Anzu!"

"I don't care. I need to get back to Domino _anyway_. I didn't help you come here just to see you killed in some deserted town!"

"Anzu, _please_ – I want to see…"

"Hush," she forced him into the passenger seat and locked his door before moving around her car and getting in. He couldn't see the lights from the circle anymore. She sunk into the driver's seat, closing her door as she got ready to leave, mumbling. "I don't understand you, Jounouchi. Not at _all_! Mai's soul isn't lost. It isn't. So stop trying to look for loose strands or whatever!"

"I told you it's not about Mai!" Jounouchi snapped in return, hands fumbling against his door. What a messed up car! Where's the lock on it? He glared powerfully at Anzu when she began to drive him away, back towards the city. "You just don't understand," he hissed in a voice that began to worry her. He could see her falter; see her hands circling against the wheel oddly.

"Let's just go see Yuugi, ok? And Honda. Honda too. And Otogi. _Whoever_. We can all go see a movie! Ok? How's that sound?" she knew what she saw. They both saw the dark shadowed figure, the faint locks sticking up, some brushed past lavender eyes. Oh yes, she knew what soul was taking shape in that circle and she had to save Jounouchi before he was taken by it, or by whatever else may strike out from the darkness and towards him. But Anzu was struggling, hard, to keep sane about it. She was trying to find something to fumble with and hold onto her friend.

Jounouchi finally sunk down into his seat, arms crossed.

"T-There's this new one out… with vampires!"

"Shut up, Anzu."

"I'll just call Yuugi. We'll all meet up at his house…" she sent a glance at him nervously from the corner of her eyes. She was worried if he had a weapon that he would thrash out at her. But then part of her mind reckoned that he would never be able to actually wield anything. That kept her satisfied. Long enough to talk on the phone and long enough for her to drive.

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He willingly let Anzu force him into the house section of the game shop. He made it difficult by not moving his feet… but he didn't struggle and run like he wanted to.

The trip back into Domino was painful. Mentally, it weighed down on him. So when he saw Yuugi there, smiling and greeting them, the stress bubbled within him. He stared at Yuugi with his scary new face as Anzu tried to explain that he was acting under the weather. Jounouchi's eyes were sharply focused, arms still crossed. He was looking through Yuugi as he spoke for the first time in two hours.

"It's all your fault."

"…Huh? Jou? What's my fault…?" Yuugi forced himself not to take a step back.

"You should have saved both of them. But no. You _murdered _half. And it's all your fault!" he bit back on his yell. 

Anzu turned away, throwing her arms up lightly. She couldn't control him anymore. And Yuugi didn't know what to do, but someone else did. Someone understood where Jounouchi was looking.

The Sennen Puzzle shook, glazing over with an aura as Yami no Yuugi took charge, saving Yuugi from Jounouchi's vocal attacks on them. The pharaoh couldn't help but look a bit dark faced as he stared over his friend. Anzu stayed off to the side quietly. She couldn't put up with Jounouchi any longer, not for a couple of minutes anyway.

"Jounouchi? What exactly are you blaming me for?" Yami no Yuugi questioned as evenly as possible.

"Murder," Jounouchi hissed in response. His arms dropped to his sides. He was trying to even restrain himself, but could feel it not working. His own control wavered, fists clenching and unclenching. "You _killed him_!"

"I don't understand – _who_?"

"Who? What the hell do you mean _WHO_?!" _Snap_. Jounouchi's own restraints came off. Two hours bottled up in a car pushed out and overflowed from his body. He was at Yami no Yuugi, hands thrusting against his collarbone and pushing him against the nearest wall, eyes on fire. Anzu started to move forward and pull him away, but her arms stopped short, shaking while she tried to figure a way to help. The spirit's breath had caught, his eyes wide as he stared at Jounouchi. He didn't understand. This wasn't even fair! Why was Jounouchi doing this to him? Why couldn't Jounouchi explain this to him?

They were friends!

This was all _wrong_!

Jounouchi leant in so that when he spoke, Anzu couldn't hear him. "You killed Malik's other half."

Yami no Yuugi's eyes now narrowed, sharp like Jounouchi's. "He was dark, he was _evil_, he deserved what he received!"

"No he didn't!" Jounouchi yelled, weaker. "Who are you to decide that?! So what, how about this! _You're_ Yuugi's dark half so therefore _you_ are evil! That means you deserve exactly what he did!"

"Jounouchi –" he cringed, feeling pressure around his collarbone. Jounouchi started to slam his body into the wall. Anzu cried for him to stop, desperately.

"You saved Malik! And yet you wouldn't help his other, but you didn't even move a finger for it!"

"It's his own fault, Jounouchi! It was _his _shadow game and his penalties for being the loser. _I_ was protecting my own other half and if you even expected me to try and save a spirit that wanted my power – then what the hell are you thinking?!"

"You're merciless! You should have…you should have…_ dammit, Yuugi_!" he seemed more satisfied when Yami no Yuugi twisted back in pain. A glow followed by a whisper of 'no' from the pharaoh took him back and Yuugi was back. Jounouchi pulled back quickly as if burnt. "He's a coward. What? He won't face me?! Is that how it is now?!"

"You were hurting him, Jou," Yuugi answered in a strained voice. He glanced to the side as Honda began to enter, but Anzu ushered him back out, eying Yuugi to be alright. She would talk to Honda about this… and keep him out. It wasn't safe. Two hours. Two long feeling hours is enough to get to someone. "I forced him to switch."

Jounouchi frowned, curling his fists and staring down at the ground. "You should have let me at him."

"Why, Jou? There's no point to it. I know you feel the same way we do. Even you were victorious when he was banished. Why are you acting like this? …Have you been possessed…?"

The blonde glared at the boy, mouth a thin line. "Never mind. Just… _never mind_. Go…see your movie," he growled, turning away for the door. Neither Anzu nor Yuugi moved to stop him. They were afraid if they neared him, he would tweak out on them.

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When night came around, streetlights poured their glow through window shades, lying long streams of light against floors throughout the city. Jounouchi slept, not too peacefully, in his bed, blankets pulled over his head to block out the unusual bright streetlamps. He groaned, shifted, and curled, trying to get comfortable after such a long day.

And a day that didn't go at all how he wanted it to, at that.

He felt so deprived, and no one would be on his side. Not for what he wanted.

But…

It wasn't as bad as they thought; they just didn't realize… _No one_ saw what he saw. Everyone thought that Malik was the shadow of his other half, but it really was just the other way around. No one cared to notice. They just assumed. They just followed Yami no Yuugi's lead, as always.

_"I know you feel the same way we do. Even you were victorious when he was banished."_

That wasn't true. He wouldn't even be able to begin to explain to them how he felt… and it wasn't the same as them. He was certain that even Yami no Yuugi knew that, now at least. Jounouchi was not possessed, not by anyone else at least, though maybe by his own heart. He was driven on to find what he wanted, or more like _who_ he wanted, but he just…

…Was it even possible?

The streetlamp outside his room flickered and went out, yet the light on his floor still remained. It was as if a ghost watched the sleeping form, saddened, and unable to do a thing.

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	2. Chapter 2

Next two chapters are a bit short, but as you _are _getting _three _chapters today, there shouldn't be much to complain about.

Some of the characters, now that I think about, do go through some... "interesting" personality shifts. Yami no Bakura shows a lot of insanity later on, Yami no Yuugi takes a dive... it's so much fun! :D

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**Road Blocks**  
Chapter Two

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"Katsuya."

He didn't know what else to say. He couldn't be heard, not where he was now. They were _so close_ until that girl pulled Jounouchi away and his hope faded quickly away. His shadow was back to watching, unable to do much more than that, even when he willed everything for just one word to be spoken.

His body gleamed in the light from a streetlamp. He took the energy from the bulb and used it to walk along the stream, standing within its glow as he looked upon the sleeping figure. Sad eyes that were there and yet could never be seen from anywhere watched, full of wishing. But no one was going to release him from what felt like a cage. He was blocked out, and that rotten pharaoh was going to keep it that way.

_It wasn't fair. _

Didn't anyone see? Of course… of course no one ever saw anything because they didn't even try to pay enough attention.

His lips moved to speak, but no voice could be heard. He whispered the other's name, hoping that maybe, just maybe, it would reach the boy's dreams.

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"You screwed everything up, Pharaoh! Why won't you just help me out?!" he screamed at a new sleeping body now. Of course, his pleas and shouts couldn't be heard. His form was even weaker here; there wasn't enough light to pour into the room. Without that light, he could hardly glide along the floor.

But someone was listening; someone had keen enough ears to catch his words that hardly breached into this world's air. The body sat up from its host, spiritual form glaring darkly at him. "What are you doing here, Yami no Malik? Why do you try so hard to walk this surface? Don't even try harming my host; you can't lay a finger on him from where you are."

"Who said I'd harm your host?" Yami no Malik growled. "It's you I want to harm! You got me trapped here!"

"You did that yourself. I didn't have to help much."

"You helped enough!"

"I'll ask you again: why are you trying to walk this surface?"

"Is that not obvious?" his voice dropped lower. He waited for Yami no Yuugi to answer, but none came. "You're going to destroy him, you know that? Katsuya can't handle more hardships. You're going to break him."

The pharaoh was up off the bed in an instant, reaching out to grab at something that wasn't even really there, like trying to touch a projection. He growled angrily at not being able to wring the dark spirit's neck, but tried to muffle his voice when he heard Yuugi shift behind him. "You're brainwashing him – somehow! You know _nothing_ about him! But you're the reason Jounouchi has been acting oddly!"

Yami no Malik couldn't help but snort. He crossed his arms and rose a brow at the other. "Of course I'm the reason; however, it's _not_ brainwash. Maybe if you had paid attention once in awhile back when I was actually on your plane of existence, you'd see that. Ahh… but no, you're just a blind, obsessed pharaoh."

"_Obsessed_? Obsessed with _what_?"

"With all that threatens your happy lifestyle, of course!" he was smiling, amused. He knew it wouldn't help his situation, but getting a rise out of the pharaoh was almost worth it. Almost. He stared at a wall when he spoke again after a few passing minutes. "Just let me through – even for a moment – I just want to see him. I'm not out to hurt anyone, Pharaoh."

"Oh, I'll bet you aren't."

"Let me talk to him! _Something_!"

"No! You're never going to get out of –"

"Mmm… Yami?" Yuugi groaned, rolling over at looking at his other… shouting at apparently the air. "What's wrong?"

Yami no Yuugi flinched and turned around. It had to look odd. After all, only he was able to see passed the ripples of air to the pathetic soul of the dark spirit. He mumbled quietly for Yuugi to go back to sleep, that there was nothing wrong. Not really, anyway. The crimson eyes glared back to where Yami no Malik had been standing, but found the shadow of him already gone.

His eyes trailed to the window, walking over to it and flipping open the shades just enough to look out. The one streetlamp across the way flickered weakly, then went out completely. No other light was able to replace it and enter into the Motou's room. Yami no Yuugi couldn't hide a smirk as he rejoined his lighter half. They didn't have to worry about an outsider disturbing them for a while.

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After being tossed and kicked around between so many light sources – he didn't want to count anymore – he found himself back in his true cage. Blocked from the world he used to walk, though back then he was just as much trapped as a passenger, riding someone else's body. And then there were the times where he made his other the passenger. It was a fair deal, he thought. He shouldn't have been locked up as much as he was.

Yami no Malik was really wishing he could find a new way to travel through that reality. Why did it have to be lights? Lights were never very reliable. They went out, and when they went out, so did his connection to it all.

Sure, it was his shadow game that put him here. But did the pharaoh have to win? It had to be pure luck. Someone even with the title "King of Games" is bound to lose at _least_ one game… It just wasn't his. And he paid the price for it, apparently.

…He wanted _out_ of this place now. The pharaoh was scared, that's all it was. He was afraid of letting Katsuya and him even get remotely in range of each other. "But he can't succeed in that forever. Not with both of us pushing for it…" Yami no Malik growled. His hands clutched at the thick air in front of him, wishing he had something to throw his anger into, or throw something at the pharaoh himself. But he couldn't touch anything in that plane. His hands passed through everything like he was a ghost… everything was just so close and yet years apart… and then the lights went out.

But when the lights go out, so does he in a manner of speaking. Then darkness takes its chance and floods in. Yami no Malik wasn't a part of that darkness; he followed the light. Did that make him better than the pharaoh?

"GODDAMN YOU PHARAOH!" he screamed, "You can't fucking do this to me! You…can't…" he trailed off, body feeling a rush of weakness. "…Do this… Dammit… Katsuya…"

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Jounouchi Katsuya figured he had it hard. Spending ever moment – awake or asleep – stumbling along roads all alone. He wanted to make someone understand; to persuade them just enough to help him. But where was he going to turn? He found himself making his way to a different section of Domino, still quiet, but not as bad and far out as where he was before.

"Yeah, come on, I get that you're in the house and making your light probably spy from some window as screening or whatever. I come in peace!" he glanced to the side, mumbling about how lame he sounded. The door in front of him had yet to open. "Hey, I could really use your guys' help! Just a little bit? I really have nowhere else to turn!"

It opened finally and he was met with a narrow, russet gaze. "The hell do you want with us?"

"Don't be so rude," Ryou's spiritual form leant next to his darker half by the door. "What's up, Jounouchi?"

"Uh. Well. You two might just hate me as much as everyone else, but I figured it'd be worth a shot –"

"_What_, Katsuya? Get on with it already," Yami no Bakura drawled.

Jounouchi sputtered. "I need help getting Yami no Malik out of the Shadow Realm." They both stared at him blankly. Silently. "Yeah. So which should I take that as: what the hell are you thinking, or get out of here before we kill you?"

"It could be a mix of the two," Ryou answered, his comment surprising Jounouchi enough that he had to make sure he knew which one of them was which.

"Why exactly do you want him back here?" Yami no Bakura rose a brow.

"Yeah… see… that's almost sort of funny, because we kind of had this sort of funny…well, _thing_ going on… And no, no, don't go on saying it's some stupid, crazy thing that could never really happen or work or whatever because I don't really want to hear it, I'm just getting _really_ desperate here and would _really_ like to see him again."

Ryou broke the short silence with a whistle, amused. "I thought Yami no Malik had been acting kind of different back then."

Jounouchi stared at him. "Which one _are_ you?"

Yami no Bakura laughed, "He's the light half. Isn't it funny? Maybe I rubbed off on him so much that I became more mild."

"Yeah. I'm cracking up at this. Can I come inside or do you guys want to kill me?"

"Eh, open the door and let him in, I suppose," Ryou said lightly. The door did open wider and Jounouchi squeezed inside. "Does this mean you guys will help me?"

"I think that could be arranged," Yami no Bakura nodded. "But _first_… if there truly is something between you two, then he's probably not horribly far away."

"Huh?"

"Don't worry," he smirked and led Jounouchi and his lighter half into the house. "Let's see… how to exactly do this…" He glanced around, tapping a finger to his chin. "This would be so much easier at night." He looked over to Ryou, gave another small smirk, and suddenly with a glow to the ring forfeited control to Ryou and became the ghastly form where his other had once been.

"Huh?" Ryou blinked, looking down at his solidified form.

"What's with you two and that word today?" Yami no Bakura chuckled. "Ryou, cook something for dinner, all right? We'll go outside and do a follow-up and what Katsuya here has been saying once darkness falls."

"Why do I have to cook?" Ryou glared.

"Do you _really_ want _me_ to?"

"Uh. Never mind." Ryou started on his way for the kitchen and then proceeded to dig through the refrigerator and multiple cabinets for a good enough substance to make into a meal. And without too much difficulty. He wasn't exactly in the mood for effort, even if it did save him from eating his other half's cooking. He looked up to see Yami no Bakura looking at him darkly and gave him an innocent smile in return.

"How exactly are you going to 'prove' anything I've said?" Jounouchi sat down at the table.

"You'll see," he joined the other and watched his lighter half start to boil water. "Well, actually, you really won't. Ah well. Thought that counts."

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Jounouchi was cold. Ryou was too, but his other was refusing to take back control so he just stood, sulking a bit by a streetlamp. "Why are we out here?" Ryou sighed. "It's really a bit cold, you know, but of course you're perfectly fine."

Yami no Bakura smirked. "Just wait, ok? Patience is a virtue – or that's what everyone talks about anyway. These lights'll pop on soon and then my question will be answered."

"But it won't make us any warmer," Jounouchi sighed. He blinked when the light above them flickered on and Yami no Bakura stepped out onto the pavement, glancing around.

"Let's see if any of this really is true."

They waited around for five minutes, all the while with Ryou and Jounouchi glaring at Yami no Bakura nonstop. He shrugged finally and started to head back for the house, but stopped.

"This is…unexpected…"

Yami no Bakura turned around and smiled, just slightly. "So you did decide to show."

"Well, I didn't really figure someone would try to… call me out. Especially after meeting with the pharaoh."

"That was a _stupid_ thing to do."

"I was getting desperate!"

"Yeah, he is too," Yami no Bakura signaled to Jounouchi.

"Who the hell are you talking to?" Ryou looked around the area, seeing nothing new. "Have you finally snapped?"

Yami no Bakura chuckled again and seemed quite cheerful. He shot a look to Jounouchi, then answered, "No, I haven't. I just happen to be talking to the one and only, Yami no Malik."

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	3. Chapter 3

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**Road Blocks**  
Chapter Three

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"You're saying he's actually here?? But how?"

"The _light_, Katsuya." Yami no Bakura smiled and held his hands up, as if welcoming some god down to the planet. He turned to the blonde, eyes wild with something – something Jounouchi had never really seen before. "Everyone thinks that someone of darkness continues to seek darkness, but _no_! That's where they're always wrong!"

Ryou stared up at the streetlamp. He couldn't see Yami no Malik standing there beneath it, but he still felt himself understanding. He looked to his other half, whispering, "Darkness is always seeking light."

"That's right, Ryou. So very right." Russet eyes watched Jounouchi carefully, keeping an eye on Yami no Malik from the corners. He further explained. "Wandering spirits locked within the Shadow Realm are on this plane of existence _all the time_, but no normal person notices them. The light flickers on – like this streetlamp – and they merge with it, maybe to watch, maybe to even _remember_ something, depending on what exactly they are. I've decided, since you were obviously not lying to me, Katsuya, to help you," he nodded over to Yami no Malik, "and you. Both of you! But things are going to probably get messy…"

"That's kind of obvious."

"Shove it, Mariku."

Ryou and Jounouchi blinked at him. He snorted. "See… if Malik was all peachy and willing, this would be _really_ simple. Reattach a soul. Ta-dah, all done. But Malik _isn't_ going to be willing at _all_ about this. Now we have a problem. How do we bring in a soul?" He turned away from the three to pace into the street.

"Maybe you could swipe the puzzle and then I could just shove the pharaoh out and take up room and board there."

"You know how many times I've tried to get that damn puzzle from the pharaoh? What a waste of time that would be," he mumbled. "Oh, and trapped in Mini-Motou would also drive you insane. Great plan."

Yami no Malik shrugged. Jounouchi stepped into the light, staring right at the spirit and not seeing anything. He looked disconcerted, reaching out a hand to try and feel for something, _anything_, of reassurance, and failing. Yami no Malik turned upset eyes to the other spirit. Yami no Bakura couldn't look back. He had no hope to give the other.

"What about… ah… no, that'd end badly, I bet," Ryou sighed.

"_What_, Ryou? What would end bad?" the darker of the two stared.

"Well, there's always Seto…"

"The priest?" Yami no Malik almost choked. Jounouchi thought he even heard it. "What the hell have you been doing to this kid, Bakura? That's crazy shit he's speaking!"

"The priest does have magic in his veins, whether he likes it or not…"

"Bakura!" he growled angrily, wishing someone else could hear him. Something flared. "Oh shit."  


"Why can't you just… I don't know… temporarily fuse him with me?" Jounouchi asked on a whim. He quickly fell silent and looked up at the light. It glowered brightly. He stumbled back, for a brief moment, really, _truly_, seeing Yami no Malik standing there looking panicked.

"This is going to be really bad," Yami no Bakura muttered and reached out, and grabbed for his lighter half roughly, rejoining his body. Ryou blinked and looked around before he lost control and Yami no Bakura took over. "Katusya, _move_! Center of the road, now!"

"But –" he reached out for Yami no Malik, the spirit brushing a hand over his arm before turning away. "_Mariku_!"

"KATSUYA YOU MORON!" Yami no Bakura growled and pushed him down onto the road, away from the light which was surging with more energy than it was supposed to have. Every one of them on both sides of the street started, and just as quickly as it began… everything shattered, sending material raining down over the ground. The light fell away to darkness. Ryou screamed in the back of his other's mind, faintly able to feel the cuts forming over pale arms that tried to shield and protect his other's head. "Dammit," Yami no Bakura cursed, lowering his arms when he was certain it was over. He looked down and sighed. "Not quite square one." He glanced over to Jounouchi. The boy looked into the darkness, shaken.

Ryou separated and started to yell angrily at his dark half. Yami no Bakura tried to ignore it for the most part and continue to speak, trying to earn Jounouchi's attention in the slightest way possible. "Damn. The connection between the planes was shorted; the Shadow Realm nearly expanded through the streetlamps. That's why they exploded. Can actually feel the air around here being a bit heavier than normal."

Ryou finally calmed down after checking over his other's cuts. "So shouldn't Yami no Malik actually be able to be here? Stronger than before?"

"He kind of – probably, anyway – got shoved pretty deep back into the Shadow Realm when the lights all burst. It'll be a few days before we even see sign of him again. Which means…" he approached Jounouchi and hefted him off the ground, looking him straight in the eye, "we need to get some sort of progress done before that time."

Jounouchi gave a small nod in recognition. Yami no Bakura sighed. He didn't want to do this much himself, but Ryou had a point earlier and it seemed like the only good place for them to start. "Despite Yami no Malik's obvious dislike at enlisting a certain priest's help, I think it's only right that we try anyway and see just what we can get from him, willingly or not."

.

* * *


End file.
